Robinson Crusoe Resources

Websites

Defoe on Luminarium.org

Some great info on Defoe, including a biography, the full texts of some of his novels and essays, plus essays about him.

Check out this website dedicated to Daniel Defoe.  You'll find some information about the author and the publication history of <em>Robinson Crusoe</em>, plus a list of useful links.

Daniel Defoe Bibliography

Can't get enough Crusoe? This site provides an excellent starting point for exploring other works by Defoe.

Digital Defoe

Check out this exciting new resource for academic scholarship on the author Daniel Defoe. This one's most suitable for advanced high school and college students.

"The Real Robinson Crusoe"

A <em>Smithsonian</em> article on the real-life castaway who may have been the inspiration behind Defoe's novel.

Robinson Crusoe Timeline

Check out this historical timeline for Robinson Crusoe and his real-life counterpart, Alexander Selkirk, courtesy of Google.

Movie or TV Productions

Robinson Crusoe (1954)

Directed by the Surrealist Luis Buñuel, this Crusoe adaptation stars Dan O'Herlihy as the titular castaway. O'Herlihy was nominated for an Oscar for his performance.

Robinson Crusoe (1964)

This three-episode black-and-white television miniseries stars Robert Hoffman.

Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964)

Ground control to Major Crusoe! This sci-fi adaptation features a monkey and <em>Batman</em> star Adam West.

Robinson Crusoe (1997)

This big-screen adaptation stars Pierce Brosnan as a very different kind of Crusoe. In this version, he flees England after committing a crime of passion.

Crusoe (2008-2009)

The short-lived NBC show attempted to adapt Defoe's novel for television; it ran only for thirteen episodes.

Historical Documents

The Illustrated Crusoe

This site chronicles <em>Crusoe</em> illustrations over the centuries. Click on the "Timeline" link for various historical perspectives of the castaway.

Robinson Crusoe's Nobel Lecture

South African novelist J.M. Coetzee was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2003. He delivered his Nobel Lecture in the voice of Robinson Crusoe.  Read the lecture here, or listen to an excerpt in the "Audio" section.

Video

The Amazing Technicolor Crusoe

A short clip from the 1954 <em>Crusoe</em> by Luis Buñuel.

Out of This World?

The trailer for <em>Robinson Crusoe on Mars</em>, an epic sci-fi fantasy.

Audio

Candlelight Stories: Robinson Crusoe

A free audio book. Stream it online or download it.

J.M. Coetzee as Robinson Crusoe

Listen to an excerpt of Coetzee's Nobel Lecture, in which he wrote in the voice of Robinson Crusoe.

Images

Robinson Crusoe Title Page (1719)

The title page from Defoe's 1719 novel.

Robinson Crusoe Movie Poster (1954)

The movie poster for Luis Buñuel's 1954 film version of <em>Robinson Crusoe.</em>

Robinson Crusoe Movie Poster (1997)

Marketing poster from the <em>Robinson Crusoe</em> adaptation starring Pierce Brosnan.

Daniel Defoe in the National Portrait Gallery

See portraits of the famous novelist collected at the NPG in London.